My thoughts on the Phillies season.

The Phils start the home stand with a walk-off win in the ninth as they defeat the A’s, 1-0.

The Phils take a walk-off win as they scored the only run to end a scoreless game in the ninth as they defeat the A’s, 1-0.

The game was a pitchers’ duel between both teams’ pitching staffs as their respective offenses would get only two hits apiece, along with five walks each, through the first eight innings. In the top of the ninth, Michael Stutes would throw an eight-pitch inning, as he would strike out two A’s on six pitches, before getting Kurt Suzuki to end the inning by popping out to Chase Utley. The Phils then went to work as Shane Victorino got on base with a walk from Brian Fuentes. After Raul Ibanez flied out to left for the inning’s first out, Dom Brown followed with a single to right, his second hit of the night, moving Victorino up to second base. The runners then both moved up a base on a ground out to first by Brian Schneider, who had just returned from the DL, putting runners on second and third, with two men out. The next batter, pinch hitter Ben Francisco, then hit a single to left, which would score Victorino, that would be the winning run for the Phils as they took a 1-0 walk-off win from the A’s.

Vance Worley received a no-decision as he pitched six scoreless innings, missing a no-hit bid as Kurt Suzuki had a two-out double in the top of the sixth, giving up a hit and four walks, while striking out four. David Herndon and Juan Perez combined for two scoreless innings, giving up a hit (Herndon) and a walk (Herndon), while striking out one man (Herndon) between them. Michael Stutes (3-0, 2.28) got the win as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two. Guillermo Moscoso also received a no-decision as he went seven scoreless innings, as he also had a no-hit bid broken up in the sixth, as Placido Polanco had a one-out single, as he gave up two hits and three walks, while striking out two. Joey Devine pitched a scoreless inning, as he gave up two walks. Brian Fuentes (1-8, 4.76) took the lost as he pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up a run on two hits and a walk.

The Phils had only four hits in the game, with Dom Brown leading the team with two hits, both singles. Placido Polanco (Single) and pinch hitter Ben Francisco (Single, RBI), had the other two Phils’ hits, with Francisco’s hit plating the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

The Phils (48-29, 1st NL East) will continue their interleague play series with the A’s (34-43, 4th AL West) tomorrow night at Citizens Bank Park. The game will start at 7:05 pm EDT. The Phils will send to the mound Cole Hamels (9-3, 2.51), who is coming off a lost against the Mariners on June 19, as he pitched six and one-third innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, as he struck out six, in the Phils’ 2-0 lost. Hamels will once again try for his tenth win of the season. The A’s will try to counter with Trevor Cahill (7-5, 3.24), who is coming off a win against the Giants on June 19, as he went eight innings, giving up a run on five hits and a walk, while striking out seven, in the A’s 2-1 win. He will be trying to even the series for the A’s. The Phils will be going for their second straight series win.

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